The natives of this land are difficult and obstinate in
the extreme. Those we capture to serve as our bearers
are sullen and lazy workers at best. Some deliberately
sabotage the columns by dropping their loads into
streams or over cliffs. I was forced to kill a great
number of them before they learned to cooperate and
understand the benefits of friendship with civilized
people.

The Thaumaturg army is descending from the Gangrek Mounts, travelling slowly through the thick undergrowth. As he travels Golan finds himself distracted, almost dreaming.

They come to a clearing full of white flowers; scouts who entered it have not returned. Being an adept, Golan investigates the glade himself. He sees that under the flowers the ground is covered with decaying corpses which are being consumed by the plants, and realises that this must be the White Plague that he had heard of. He retreats and orders the flowers to be burnt.

Skinner and the two Disavowed mages have been transported by the messenger priest to a sea-shore; there are many wrecked ships nearby. The messenger says that one contains another fragment of the Shattered God. They reach it by raft, and are attacked first by crab-like men, then by an automaton powered by the fragment. Skinner fights it and both fall into the sea.

The mages wait on the shore for him to emerge, which he finally does without his helm and sword. But he is dragging the broken automaton and the messenger extracts the fragment.

Pon-lor and his detachment are being led by Kenjak Ashevajak to Fortress Chanar, where he claims the bandit warlord Khun-Sen is still active. When they arrive they are attacked by the inhabitants, petrified by a Thaumaturg curse. Pon-lor removes the curse and the attackers die. Pon-lor finds only four of his troop have survived the attack.